Radiator for railway-car-heating systems



E. A. RUSSELL RADIATOR FOR RAILWAY CAR HEATING SYSTEMS Ju'xje '-'1-9,1928. 1,674,131

Filed April 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l A, 6/ f ALL: Quai mm; Y

June 19, 1928. 1,674,131

E. A. RUSSELL RADIATOR FOR RAILWAY CAR HEATING SYSTEMS Filed April 6,1925 2 Shuts-Sheet 2 Patented June 19 1928.

unit-En STATES 1,674,131 PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD An RUSSELL, *OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORTO VAPOR CAR HEATIN GCOM- rm, INC, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A GORSPORATION F YORK.

R A DIALIOR FOB RAILWAY-.OARQHEATING SYSTEMS.

Application filed April 6, 1925. Serial No. 21,115.

invention relates to steam heating sys tems for railway cars in whichthe radiat ing elements are composed, in part or wholly, of pipe coilsextendingalong the side walls of the car for substantially the lengthcfthe car; and the principal object of the invention is to provide certainnovel and improved constructions relating to the radiators which willgive the joints between the :pipe sections, headersor other parts orelements of the radiator, a certain amount of flexibility so that theunequal expansion and contraction of the pipes incident to the heatingupand cooling of the radiator will not bend to an undesirable extent orbreak the pipes or their connections or produce leaks at the joints. Aradiator so constructed is of advantage especially where the control ofthe steam is'automatic dependent upon temperature fluctuations in thecontrol, since such control involves intermittent heating and cooling ofthe pipes at relatively frequent intervals and at places along thecoilpossibly quite remote from each other. It

I isalso very desirable, in case the radiator is constructed, asshownfor example in the application of Egbert H. GOlClfSB1l&l No.654.229,'filed July 27, 1923, now Patent No. 1,602,224, granted'october'5, 1926, so as to have a larger number of parallel pipes at the ends ofthe car than at the middle, which construction my present invention hasmore particularly in view, to give certain of the join s or thestructure the above stated flexif bility since inequality otcontractionand expansion is more pronounced in a radiator coil so constructed. Thetype of radiator having alarger number of coils at'the ends than at themiddle of the car is of partic'ur lar utility in a heating systemcont-rolled through temperature fluctuations in the car because it .isconvenient to locate the controlling thermostat in the middle ofth'eear, whereas the end portionspf the car are likely to be cooler than themiddle unless the ends are provided with additional radiation surface..My, resentin-ventioncontemplates two ways 0 increasing the radiation atthe ends of'thecar. One way, as stated, is by providin v a pipe coilwhich will have a larger num er of parallel pipes at the ends of the carthan at the middle. The other way is to provide a box-like radiator atthe ends ofthe car. In each case the connections between the endsections of the radiator, which are preferably at right angles to thelongitudinal inlet andoutlet pipes are flexible connections for thereasons given.

Ajfurther object is to prevent the radiator from being shifted bodilythrough expansion or contraction. If the whole radiator is shiftedwhenone end expands, for example, the forces subsequently acting in theopposite direction are insutficient to move it back to its originalintended position.

i In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a View, in perspective,.of a railway car radiator (withassociated parts of the heating apparatus shown fragmentar- 11y),constructed in accordance with my present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the radiator controlling valve.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary.longitudinal sectional View of one extremity orthe primary coil of the radiator showing the flexible connectionsbetween the pipes and their conmeeting header.

Fig. 4 is a similar View of one end of the auxiliary coil.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view to illustrate an expedient which maybe used for preventing bodily shifting of the whole ra diator undertemperature changes.

Reference will be made first to the form of the invention illustrated inFigs. 1 to 4 inclusive, which shows a radiator adapted particularly forautomatic control; details showing the "controlling means, however,being omitted since this mechanism (such as disclosed in the patent toEdward A. Russell No. 1,440,701, granted J auuary 2, 1,923, forexample), forms no part of my present invention. Obviously the radiatorconstruction 'as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, might beemployed in connectionwith a hand controlled heating system.

In the drawings, designates'the steam train pipe, 11 the vaporregulator, the construction of which is illustrated in theRussell patentabove referred to, and '12 the radiator controlling valve. The radiatorconsists of two pipe coils A andB, which,

however, constitute, a sense, a single coil since they aresimultaneously controlled, in the iorm'of the apparatus shown, by thesingle radiator valve 12. Coil A consists of an inlet pipe or length ofpipe 13 which extends to oneextreme end of the car and comprises atransversely arrangedsec'tion -14 at the end of the car; a return pipeor length of pipe 15 extending to the other end of the car and providedwith a transverse section to; a pipe 17 connecting the extremities ofthe inlet and return pipes comprising transverse sections 18 and 19, andpreferably two additional pipe lengths 20, 21 with transverse sections22, 23. These pipes are arranged in substantial parallelism with eachother. except that pipes 13 and 15 slope downwardly toward the valve 12,and one above the other. and may be supported by pipe hangers of anydesired type. These hangers are intended to allow movement of the pipeswhen expanding or contracting. Pipes 20 and 21 are rigidly connectedwith pipe 17 by Y fittings 24. 24;. is a pipe leading from the trainpipe 10 to the high pressure chamber of the apor regulator and 26 is apipe leading from the low pressure chamber of the vapor regulator tovalve 12. QT is a pipe leading from the valve to the thernu'astatchamber of the vapor regulator.

The three pipes at each end of coil A are connected in the manner shownin Fig. 3 which represents the right hand end of the coil as shown inFig. 1. The upper pipe 22 has a threaded connection with an elbow union28 which is threaded into the upper end of a T fitting 29 into the lowerend of which is threaded an elbow union 30 on the end of the lower pipel t. The intermediate pipe 18 has a threaded connection with the lateraltap 31 of the T fitting 29. With this arrangement unions 28 and 30 canswivel on a verti -al axis and if need be T fitting 29 mav rotateslightly on a horizontal axis giving the connections at the end of thecoil a certain degree of flexibility to compensate for unequal expansionand contraction of the pipes of the coil, particularly the pipesextending longitudinally of the car. these pipes being ordinarily ofconsiderable length. say 60 or 80 feet.

The coil B is composed, preferably, of an inlet pipe 39. connected by aT-fitting 33 with pipe sections 15; a return pipe 3st connected withvalve 12: a pipe 35 substantially parallel with and above pipes 32 and34; and two additional pipes 36, 37 at the ends of the coil and arrangedabove and connected with pipes 35 by Y fittings 38. 38. The three pipesat each end of coil B are flexibly con nected by the devices shown inFig. 4 which, specifically, illustrates the structure at the right handend of the coil as shown in Fig. 1. The lower pipe 34 is connectedthereto by union 39, a short pipe section &0 which extends through atwo-part stuffing box 41, 42 into a header 43 with which the member 41of the stutfing box has a threaded connection. the inner end of pipesection 40 being preferably flared as indicated at 4s to provide a stoppreventing the pipe from being pulled out of the header. The upper pipe36 is provided with a similar slip joint. the parts of which are giventhe reference numerals used in connection with the slip joint of pipe34. The intermediate pipe 35 has a threaded connection with the headerbetween the slip joints above referred to.

Operation.

Steam passes from the train pipe 10 through pipe where its pres-:ure isreduced and through pipe 26 to chamber t?) of the controllii'ig valve152. \Yith the valve open. as shown in Fig. 2, the steam pas es acrossthe central chamber iii of the valve into a chamber 47. the webs 48, 4'9and 5 prevent.- iug the steam from entering the other valve chambers.From chamber 47 steam passes into pipe 13 and passing through this pipeand its transverse section 14-, llows to the opposite ends ot the carthrough pipe sections 1S"22, 2()l7, 21 and transverse sections 23-45)and is returned to the center of the car by pipes l5lt$. The water ofcondensation is discharged into chamber 51 of valve 12 and passingthrough the water scaled duct in the base of the valve casing below thecentral chamber 46 enters valve chamber 535 and from there is dischargedthrough pipe 27 to the thermostat chamber of vapor regulator 11. Thesteam, however, which is at a low enough pressure so that its outtiowthrough the valve is prevented by the water in the sealing duct 52,passes into pipe 32 of coil B. is reversed in the header and passes tothe other end of the coil through pipes 35, 37 and 3t whence this mediumeither as steam or water of eoiulcnsation, is returned to the 'alvethrough pipe 3t and passing through chamber Fi-l; of the valve andthrough the central valve chamber is. but on the other side oi web 43from the ingoing steam, enters: chamber 53 ot the valve and trout then egoes to the vapor regulator through pipe 27. If the medium in the termof st cam the va )or regulator is actuated to throttle inflow.

Referring now to the action of the medium on the pipes of coil A.obviously it will re quire some little time for the steam to equallyheat all parts of the coil particularly as the longitudinal pipes of thecoil are of very considerable length and may contain some trapped waterof condensation and will neee sarily become tilled to a greater orextent: with 'ater resulting from the rapid condensation followingcontact of the steam with the cold surfaces. Thus pipe 13 is likely toexpand. when the system is first started up, to a much greater extentthan the other pipes. This expansion is taken care ol by the swivelconnection between the elbow 30 and T fitting 29. As the medium passesinto pipe sections 18-20, the expansion of the upper and lower pipes isnot likely to be equal. The team will naturally pass through the upperpipe and the cooler water tilt lot)

loft

of condensation through the lowerpipe.

The unequal expansion which'takes place is nections described betweenthe ends'of the pipes at each extremity of thecoi'l.

As steam enters coil Bth-rough pipe 32 this pipe is expanded and slidesinto the header 4C3 throughfthe stuffing box 41, 42. The yreturn of themedium through pipes 35 3'? brings about greater expansion. in pipeSTthan in pipe 35. Under these circumstances pipe 37 can slide in itsstuffing box relative to pipe 35. The expansion of "one end of the coilas a whole before the other end has been warmed up is possible throughthe provision otth'e 'slidable conneo tionsaat each endotthe coil. Allconditions, in fact, of differencesinexpansion and contractionasY-between the different pipes of the coil are provided for. L

' 'Itwill understoodthattoshut off steam. from the radiator the valvebody is rotated so asto bring webs 48, 49} and 50 into the dotted lineposition indicated in Fig; 2 so that steam from pipe 26 passes throughchambers 45 and 53 to pipe 27 ofthe vapor regulatorythc radiator beingshort circuited.

Drainage openings are provided through the valve for water ofcondensation from pipes l3, l5 and 34:. y r 1 In Fig. 5 *Ihave shown anexpedient which may be utilized for preventing bodily movement of thewhole radiator under changes of temperatiu' e Inasmuch as one endof theradiator, the inlet end, heats up more'than the other, and,particularly, before the outer end, the forces tending to inovetheradiator to opposite ends of the car are never balanced. Hencethe wholeradiator may shift in one direction withoutbeing subsequently moved backto its normal position. This is particularly apt to be the case whencertain types of pipe hangers are used which tend to bind on the pipeswhen the latter are heated up. Toprevent this bodily shifting of theradiator coil or pipes, I purpose to anchor the radiator to the car at acentral point so that expansion and contraction will take place inopposite directions from and to this point. Referring to Fig. 5, pipe 17of coil A (of the radiator of Fig. '1) is divided at a point oppositevalve 12 and a fitting 89, is interposed between the ends of this pipesection which are directed into the fitting as indicated at 90, 90. Thefitting is secured fixedly to the wall 91. of the car by bolts 92. Toanchor the coil B pipe section 35 is provided with'a fitting. 93-whichmay be anchored to the car in any preferred-manner. Preferably it isinterlocked with fitting 89, one fitting havinga tongue 94 and theothera grooye 95. y

As other modifications than those shown will be possible withoutiiloparture from the principles of my invention, I Wish to beunderstood. as intending to cover by a patent all forms of the inventionwi-thin the scope of the appended-claims. i

claim? i 1. A radiator for a railway ear heating systemcomprising =twolengthsof pipe provided with bends whereby the vradiator has twosections :at an angle toeach other, and a fitting joining theextremities ofsaid pipe lengths with which oneof theinis connected,rotatably, onan axis at substantially right angles to the longitudinalaxes of the pipes. 22; A radiatorfrt'or a railway car 'hea'ting systemcomprising two lengths of pipe provided with bends whereby theradiatorhas two-sections at an angle to each other, and

a fitting with which the extremities of said pipe lengt-hs have threadedconnections, the axes of which are substantially atrightan glee-to eachother; 3

3. A radiator for a railw'ay car heating systemcomprising two lengths ofpipe provided with bends wherebythe radiator' hasv two sections at an"angle to each "other, an elbow union on the-endof one ottsa id' pipes,and a fitting -with whichwsaid elbow union and the end'o'ft the otherpipelength have threaded connections. I

4:. A radiator for a railway "car heating system comprising threelengths of pipe provided with bends whereby the radiator has twosections at'an angleto each other, and means for joining the extremitiesof said pipe lengths providing pivotal-connections for two of saidpipes"with respect to the otherfpipe having an axis -atsubstantially rightangles to-tlile longitudinal axis of the M0 other "piper v 5. A radiator-fora railwaytar heating system comprisingthree lengths of pipe insubstantial parallelisin and "one above the other provided with bendswhereby the rediator has two sections at an angle to each other, andmeans for joining the extremities of said pipe lengths providing pivotalcon nections for the upper and lower pipes having an axis atsubstantially right angles to connected with the opposite ends of saidT-fitting.

7. In a radiator for railway car steam heating system, the combinationof a controlling valve located centrally of the car, a radiating coilcomprising inlet and return pipes connected with said valve andextending lengthwise of the car in opposite directions from the valve, apipe above the afore said pipes, another pipe at one end of the coilabove and connected with the last named pipe at an intermediate pointthereof, the three pipes at this end of the coil having substantiallyright angle bends, and a litting with which the ends of the upper andlower pipes have a swivel connection on a vertical axis and with theside of which the intermediate pipe is connected.

8. In a radiator for railway car steam heating system, the combinationof a controlling 'alve located centrally of the car, a radiating coilcomprising inlet and return pipes connected with said valve andextending lengthwise of the car in opposite directions from the valve, apipe above the aforesaid pipes, another pipe at one end of the coilabove and connected with the last named pipe at an intermediate pointthereof, the three pipes at this end of the coil having substantiallyright angle bends, and a fittingwith which the ends of the upper andlower pipes have a swivel connection on a vertical axis and with theside of which the intermediate pipe has a swiveled connection on a.substantially horizontal axis.

9. In a radiator for railway car steam heating system, the combinationof a controlling valve located centrally of the car, a radiating coilcomprising inlet and return pipes connected with said valve andextending lengthwise of the car in opposite directions from the valve, apipe above the aforesaid pipes, another pipe at one end of the coilabove and connected with the last named pipe at an intermediate pointthereof. the three pipes at this end of the coil having substantiallyright angle bends, a fitting with which the ends of the upper and lowerpipes have a swiveled connection on a vertical axis and with the side ofwhich the intermediate pipe is connected, and a second coil comprisinginlet and return pipes, a pipe above the aforesaid pipes another pipe atone end of the coil above the last named pipe, and a fitting with whichone extremity of said intermediate pipe is rigidly attached and withwhich said upper and lower pipes have sliding connections.

10. A railway car radiator comprising two lengths of pipe, eachcomprising aligning sections, fittings between said sections which areinterlocked, and means for anchoring one of said fittings to the carbody.

11. In combination, a pair of fittings having threaded openings atopposite ends, pipe sections screwed into said fittings. one of thefittings having a tongue and the other a groove for interlocking thefittings, and means for anchoring one of the fittings to the car body.

12. A railway car radiating coil comprising pipes extending from themiddle of the car toward opposite ends thereof, a pipe for connectingthe aforesaid pipes, the pipes at one end of said coil being formed withangular bends, means for connecting the extremities of the pipes beyondsaid bends so that one of the pipes is capable of a swivelling movementon an axis transverse to the length of the pipes, and means foranchoring said connecting pipe at a middle point thereon to the carbody.

13. In a railway car, a radiator com rising three pipes extendinglongitudinal y of the car provided with end pipe sections respectivelyextending transversely of the car, through one of which pipes theheating medium is adapted to pass in one direction and through the othertwo of which pipes the medium is adapted to pass in the oppositedirection, and flexible connections between the extremities of said endsections composed of coengaging relatively movable clements which yield,one with respect to the other, to compensate for unequal expansion andcontraction of said longitudinal pipes.

EDWARD A. RUSSELL.

